As a Jewish woman, I have something I want to say to you

[Happyhippychick]

I work for a non-profit in mental health and advocate for those with those kinds of struggles. I march for LGBT, Muslim, African American, farmers, impoverished Americans - I am so blessed with my life circumstances that I that I rarely depend on other to step up and defend me.

The events of the past few days have been horrifying. If you grow up Jewish, you hear the stories from your grandparents of the Holocaust and you see the holes in your family history. On my grandfathers side, his 11 brothers and sisters, along with his parents, were killed in Treblinka. We grow up being told "it can happen again" although we don't really believe that, at least I didn't.

My heart is so full at the outpouring of outrage demonstrated here and with many politicians who are telling trump to f*ck off. I'm grateful to my governor for stepping up today in Maryland and making his voice heard even though he's a republican. I cannot tell you how deeply comforting it is to me to witness the backlash.

I didn't sleep last night and neither did my darling daughter. She was freaked out by the sight of swastikas and nazis, who can blame her?

Tonight I'll sleep well, thanks to you.

I love you guys.

[Skittles]

1. WE OUTNUMBER THEM, HAPPYHIPPYCHICK

they didn't win before and they will NOT WIN NOW

[yuiyoshida]

14. I would like to hope so

Right now we starting to look like a banana republic that wants to remove people of color,sexual orientation and that scares me.

[Skittles]

23. we will fight the fascist bastards

I don't like the posts from people asking for advice about fleeing the country

STAY AND FIGHT

[lunasun]

30. I wish all fleeing this country the best. Canada is taking refugees from the United States everyday

Victims of facism have a right to seek peace where it exists
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40879544

[Skittles]

32. together we are STRONGER

[bdamomma]

43. This is disgusting

we are better than this, we have to eradicate this scum (White Supremacists groups) from our country.

Yes, Canada is the new frontier, Syrian refugees are literally walking to be taken in at the border.

[Skittles]

75. America is stronger than Donald Fucking Trump

you are correct

STAY AND FIGHT

[Shrike47]

39. We're not going anywhere. I refuse to believe America will allow this behavior to go on.

[Scarsdale]

59. Who ever thought this

would happen so openly? We knew there were undercover groups, but the blatant, in your face actions are very disturbing. tRump has brought a lot of ugly, disgusting "stuff" out, and it is not just HIS family and lifestyle! How can Kushner still work for him, is his family really making THAT much money?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

51. Right on Skittles!

The old saying about picking your battles? This is one I pick. We cannot let this get a toe hold. It must be stopped and eradicated, as best we can eradicate what is largely learned behavior........

[bdamomma]

35. this is Bannon's

dream and his puppet is going to destroy our country.

[yuiyoshida]

37. May as well say it

This is his wet dream and we should be disgusted by it,Republicans are silent about this and there by complacent with it secretly .

[bdamomma]

45. Republicans should be held as

traitors, period. McConnell has said nothing........think about that.

[The Wielding Truth]

46. Look what Republican leadership has done to our country! They should not be given any power until

they respect and understand our Constitution and learn what the phrase, "All men are created equal" means.

[bdamomma]

50. I don't understand how they (republicans)

can watch this and see Americans go after each other and not hold this POS trump accountable. He is a domestic terrorist. Nothing or nobody should save his a$$. And when there is more violence Republicans will not do shit or will Sessions/tRump call martial law.

[The Wielding Truth]

54. They are small minded people who think they know best. They are brain washed!

One Tin Solider - types.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi1pYnQ5drVAhVD7iYKHRGSBIsQ3ywIKzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcTBx-hHf4BE&usg=AFQjCNHHRuFGxyxb_W_WCLoxupceT-IIEA

[Ligyron]

62. Where's Billie Jack when we need him?

He may show up yet.

[yuiyoshida]

55. Trump is their distraction

While he does all of this REPUBLICAN S are taking apart this country in broad daylight.

[bdamomma]

63. they are working to dismantle everything.

even bannon said those in the cabinet are out to destroy those departments. sad and very frustrating but we have the numbers.

[yuiyoshida]

66. I wonder what would happen it Trump set our Constitution on fire ?

Would the Republican party applaud him?

[leftynyc]

60. McConnel's wife WORKS for donnie

She's part of this administration and has allowed her boss to humiliate her husband. I don't know how she sleeps at night.

[onit2day]

73. These Nazis are outnumbered by millions

They make a lot of noise and may have a duped PINO refusing to condemn them but we will never allow the mass murder as in Germany in the '30s.

[DK504]

2. We will always have your back. We will never let them win.

[Jake Stern]

3. Here is an article about the former synagogue in the town in Slovakia where my family is from

[link:http://www.rimava.sk/publicistika/rimavska-sobota-plna-pribehov-kedysi-synagoga-dnes-uz-len-pamatnik/|

At the bottom of the article is a set of 8 photos and there is one with a man pointing to a memorial wall. On it are 13 names of family that died in the Holocaust. One relative, a great uncle named Imre, survived after being liberated at Farsleben.

[Bradshaw3]

28. Thank you for posting

Stories like that and a post from their descendant help to make it real even if isn't for some people.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Good for you for saying what NEEDED to be said!!!

We are often overlooked or told our concerns are "hair on fire" moments, or 'splained how something is or isn't anti-Semitism. For me, I also grew up with how my father and his sister were treated, as well as my grandparents, here, in the United States. I heard the hushed whispers about relatives back in the motherland (the USSR) and how they were treated and why they left for the US...or Poland (guess which group isn't around); of course, that is when they were actually speaking in English, not Yiddish, which none of us knew because they didn't teach us because they wanted us to be considered "Americans".

We stand up for so many, but so few stand up for us, and those who do, more often than not, as opposed to other minority groups, put conditions on their support for us!

I am glad you spoke up for us!

[volstork]

5. We are all in this together

AGAINST the fascists
AGAINST the nazis
AGAINST the white supremacists
AGAINST the racists
AGAINST the homophobes
AGAINST everyone who excludes others because of color or creed or religion.

[Adrahil]

6. Let me say this.

I'm a white, hetero-sexual, cis-gendered man. The only thing that puts me at risk is that I am an atheist, but I am pretty safe from these idiots. I look like people they want to like.

Let me say I am SO, SO sorry you and your daughter have to endure this fear. It's awful. It infuriates me to my very roots.

And please know that I will do WHATEVER I can make sure you and your daughter, and everyone else in the sights of these monsters remains safe.

We must defeat his movement. It is the calling of our times.

[Mr.Bill]

9. I'm the same demographic as you. From across the street I could pass for Karl Rove.

Sometimes these assholes just walk up to me and start talking to me like I was at the klan rally with them last night. Proof positive they judge people by their race and appearance.

[roamer65]

7. My relatives fought to rid this world of Nazism.

If I have to lay down my life to keep this country free, I will do it.

Fuck Nazis, fuck fascism and fuck Hitler.

[bdamomma]

36. If they

those hate groups endanger your life, family or country I would rise up.

[demigoddess]

8. My father fought in WWII, my Uncle fought in WWII, I will not

let them down. tell your daughter we love her.

[Honeycombe8]

10. Not in our country, HappyHippy! nt

[keithbvadu2]

11. Has Trump criticized 'Radical Christian Terrorists'? They cannot claim 'Judeo-Christian' because th

Has Trump criticized 'Radical Christian Terrorists'?

They cannot claim 'Judeo-Christian' because they were yelling out anti-Jewish stuff as they marched.

[yardwork]

12. Thank you for that beautiful post.

[Danmel]

13. I'm the daughter of a survivor

My dad lost his parents, a sister, sister in law, nephew and lots of other relatives and friends. He and his old brother survived.
Every family member of my generation is named for someone who was killed in the camps. (I am named for my father's 2 sisters, one who perished in Auschwitz and one who died of typhus in early childhood.
My father survived rather intact emotionally all things considered. He raised a family, loved his grandchildren and enjoyed life. He wanted us to never know deprivation.
But he had nightmares, he hid money just in case and was very fearful of authority.
I miss him terribly but am grateful he isn't witnessing this monster as president. At least he died without fear for his grandchildren.
That's how messed up this is. Trump makes me glad my father is dead.

[catbyte]

20. Your last sentence breaks my heart because I also feel that way. My dad fought fascists

in WWII. He would be so very sad & outraged that his sacrifices & the sacrifices of his generation have been lost on an entire political party, so I, too, am almost glad my dad isn't alive to see this. Almost.

[bdamomma]

41. I am glad my father

and his brothers and my mothers brothers who fought in WWII are not around to see this assault on our country.

[PatrickforO]

15. I promise you I will do everything in my power as a citizen to stand up to these nazi criminals

My father fought in the second world war, and it cost around 80 million lives to get rid of this fascist evil that time.

Now, the rock has been lifted to reveal the squirming white nazi maggots, and they are daring to march down our streets with their foul brown shirts and swastika armbands and coal scuttle helmets. But they will not go unchallenged. Every single American with any modicum of genuine patriotism will challenge them every single step of the way.

They shall not take over here.

They shall not destroy our democracy.

They shall not perpetrate another Holocaust.

Never again.

[RandomAccess]

16. I too have been elated to see

our institutions kick in to keep a bit of a check on Trump, and the tremendous upwelling of #Resistance which IS having an impact --

and I'm really happy you have been reassured.

But I really worry about whether or not we can all (we the people + our democratic institutions) keep it in check. I really do. I guess that's why I'm so elated when I see something working.

Today's little performance by Trump was a bit of a setback for me, with not enough outrage being shown for my taste. This is something that should cause people to cal for his removal. People on the right, as in GOP. People everywhere.

[apkhgp]

17. Nazis

Several relatives on father's side were murdered by the Nazis on their march through Europe. I feel a small amount of pain, the same kind of pain felt by all of the Jewish people in the world.

[nolabear]

18. Love you back, and GOT your back.

We are us, and those bastards cannot destroy us. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Kick and Rec

And here's to Jewish Hippies

[ananda]

21. I talked to one of the Jewish leaders ..

.. in my Democrats group.

She said she's throwing herself into work, continuing her
activism, and doing fine.

Just three months ago she couldn't sleep and had serious
issues because of 45. But she pushed through it and
sounds good now.

[spanone]

22. K&R...

[MFM008]

24. They're going to have

Get through us.
Never again.

[Still In Wisconsin]

25. Jewish man here, my grandparents came from Poland as children in 1933

I know what you mean about gaps in the family history. We have several.

You said so very well what so many of us feel. Thank you, Happyhippychick!

[Squinch]

26. .

[ocd liberal]

27. I love you too

I really mean that.

[Bradshaw3]

29. Thanks for sharing your feelings.

We will overcome.

[Ilsa]

31. Excellent post. We can't ignore this or try to normalize the threat.

The threat is real to anyone who is different, but it is much much worse for any person of color, Catholics, and Jews.

I have read some bits about epigenetics. Here's a link to a Scientific American article about descendants of holicaust survivors having altered levels of circulating stress hormones compared with other Jewish adults of the same age:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/descendants-of-holocaust-survivors-have-altered-stress-hormones/

Maybe you saw it a few months ago on DU.

Anyway, we've got your back, at least as best as we can. We're not going along with this treasonous bullshit.

[Permanut]

33. What a great post, and a great thread..

Heartwarming to see so many rising up against this nightmare. My Father and Father in Law both served in WWII; veteran here who won't tarnish their legacy by sitting by while the fourth reich is installed in DC.

[EllieBC]

34. +100000 from a visible Jew!

We aren't as visible as we used to be but for the most part my husband, my kids, and I am visible Jews. It's always a little scary and sometimes our allies seem to be nonexistent.

[IronLionZion]

38. We're way more diverse than 1930's Europe

and enough of our people have studied history and learned from it so not this time nazis.

[3catwoman3]

40. HHChick - How did your grandfather...

...manage to escape the fate that befell the rest of his family? If this is too personal a question, please do not feel that you need to answer. I mean no disrespect. I am awed by the survival stories told by those who got through such horrors.

Everyone on my maternal grandfather's side was from Germany/Prussia. My great grandfather was born in 1848, and was one of 6 chcildren from his fahter's second wife - 5 half siblings. His immediate family emigrated here sometime after his birth. I have often wondered how of his relatives stayed in Germany and may have been involved in WWII on the German side. None, I hope, but I do not know. I don't think I want to know.

Sending concerned thoughts to you and your daughter.

[Happyhippychick]

53. By sheer luck he immigrated to the US in the 1920's before there was any threat

He wanted to live in the US, he hated Poland. And truthfully I don't think he got along with his father very well. Amazing, isn't it?

[byronius]

42. All of us, all the time, everywhere. I believe they've sparked their own end.

The loseriest losers of Loserville will lose more and more quickly each time until they are nothing but history.

Serious business and they feel strong, but it is a terrible illusion. They should not have poked their heads up from under the rock and stirred this particular pot. This is not their nation, never has been, never will be.

[dalton99a]

44. Kick.

[SweetieD]

47. Yes it can happen again. This is why we should never forget or become complacent.

The uptick in antisemitism makes me sick.

[BigDemVoter]

48. Yes, I agree.

For my generation, we virtually didn't even know that we were even nominally Jewish, as our parents were raised by their parents who lost siblings and other family during the Shoah. My grandparents were almost afraid to instill any kind of Jewish identify in their kids.

It is horrifying. I have ugly documents in my filing cabinet that describe what happened to my great aunt and great grandmother after their belongings were confiscated and they were "deported to the East."

These people are no different. I have no doubt, none whatsoever, that SHOULD they have the opportunity, they would not hesitate to do the same thing they did before in Germany and Poland and other countries. Yes, these are the very same people-- the exact same ones--who crawled out of the woodwork to do these unspeakable deeds in the past.

I know who they are.

[IrishEyes]

49. This Irish lady has got your back.

[Eko]

52. Tis the duty of all Americans

to oppose Nazis and racists.

[raven mad]

56. Love right back to you, Happyhippychick.

Last edited Wed Aug 16, 2017, 01:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Not my grandparents, but my next-door neighbor's parents survived Auschwitz. Their youngest son (Brian) and I grew up together, not in the same school (I got stuck in a Catholic one, he went to local public, no yeshiva in the area then). I got to go to temple with them, they would come along to Easter services or Christmas midnight mass. Most wonderful friends - part of my dad's "United Nations Poker Game" every Saturday night. Sunday mornings, Brian and I got to scavenge under the poker table for dropped change. I got him into way more trouble than he got me into......... about 40 years later, my husband got to meet him, and they fell right together. I miss him; he moved to Israel in 1997.

I have had nightmares, just picturing what those neo-Nazi jerks would have done to our friendship.

We love you, too. Even if I AM an Irish Catholic goy. (LOL!) Brian and his Abba and Eema (probably not spelled right, just how a young kid remembers hearing) - Shalom, sister.

[grantcart]

57. Never again

[Solly Mack]

58. (((Happyhippychick)))

[leftynyc]

61. (((Happyhippychick)))

Fellow Jewish hippy here who lost dozens who weren't able to immigrate out of Europe and I have no intention of allowing these wretches to take hold of this country. I'll fight it until I die.

[Ligyron]

64. This Nordic Warrior has your back Happyhippychick. nt

[GetRidOfThem]

65. I'm from Germany...

...and was raised with an acute awareness of German history. I also did the 23 and Me genetic test, and I have a lot of eastern European and even a bit of Ashkenazy in me.

I hope we have reached a tipping point where agent orange is losing all credible support...

[pwb]

68. Just when most world war II vets are leaving us.

Glad my father, who defeated hate for me, isn't here to witness this shit.

[niyad]

69. ((((((((((happyhippychick)))))) we will NOT be silent, we will NOT be complicit in their

hatred and violence.

[barbtries]

70. i guess they'll always be with us.

history shows that. but i will resist to the very end them ever taking hold of this country the way they did Germany less than a century ago.

this president - no words. he needs to be gone. he is a menace to society.

my ex-mother-in-law had the tattoo from Auschwitz, where most of her family was murdered. this is not ancient history.

[Wordilocks]

71. Thank you for sharing...

Your poor baby daughter. She's lucky to have a strong mama! Much love & support from the cyber world. Which is an important world in the 21st century, but obviously, not as important as the real world. Hope you two are able to talk about this resurgence of trauma with real peeps. ?️

[raven mad]

72. Kick, because you are quite worth it!

[hamsterjill]

74. No way. No how.

We will NOT back down. It's not going to happen again because we've come too far away from it.

We have to love one another as we love ourselves, be able to step up for one another as we would step up for ourselves.

I cannot imagine the fear that being Jewish has added to all of this craziness. You have every right to be afraid and be concerned. But please know that we are all afraid, and we are all horrified. We've got to do as Heather's mother asked. We've got to be okay with discussions that make us uncomfortable. We've got to figure out what we (as an individual) can do to right a wrong. We have to learn to be Americans again.

We cannot do that with Trump at the helm. But we can start preparing for the time when he is no longer in charge. Because that's coming. One way or the other, that's coming.

[steve2470]

76. My father fought in WW2 against the Nazis! I stand with you, all Jews, and all good Americans

I will DIE in the streets before I will allow these Nazi scum and their ilk to take over our country! We must support all Jewish people and anyone who would be the first victims of these Nazi scum!!

FIGHT, DO NOT LEAVE!!!!

[Gothmog]

77. From a rabbi

Link to tweet

?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2F10029470789

[Juliusseizure]

78. Well Wishes from fellow Jew

who should be dead but my grandparents escaped Vienna in '37 just before Hitler stopped immigration.

In a sense, I'm lucky because I can hide. I have black friends whose fear and resentment is much more palpable for that reason. They have to train their children how to behave if a cop stops them, how to stay out of trouble. It requires complete submission, avoidance, or stay in groups. They have been a lot quieter on social media since Trump.

But when I see and observe that violent anti-semitism I get the same fear.

I knew Trump was a covert racist and anti-semite years ago. It pains and disgusts me to know he's got this odd collection of Jewish sociopaths like Kushner and Miller, and cabinet appointments and advisors in the Treasury. These are the absolute worst of the lot and - besides psychopath Miller who is fucked up enough to be a believable Nazi - are being used to incite anti-semetism.

[Scurrilous]

79. K&R

[lunatica]

80. I love you back Happyhippychick!

This is a great and wonderful site!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

81. I'm a Jewish woman, too. My late grandfather was the youngest of 13 children. He lost

many of his siblings in the Holocaust (one of my sisters is names after one of his who perished in the camps).

Thank G-d, he made it to America. He and my grandmother raised four children, lived to see and enjoy grand and great-children. They also owned their own store for 50 years and traveled the world.

Growing up, I used to hear stories about the Nazis and how it could happen again, etc. I never would have believed it. Years later, I'm in my late 40s, and it's been ten years since he and my grandmother passed. They would be rolling in their graves if they knew what was happening in this country they loved so much.

[Skittles]

82. making sure you saw this

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029475786

[Happyhippychick]

83. Beautiful!

[Skittles]

85. this is who we are

America is stronger than Donald Trump and his goons; yes INDEED

[Happyhippychick]

86. I believe that although I do have my moments. Tonight I was fantasizing about

talking to my future grandchildren and telling them about this dark period of history and how it all turned out well. Just like my grandparents did with me.

[Skittles]

87. I believe it will

we will fight

[Happyhippychick]

84. My heart is full from all of your beautiful responses. I read them all. I'm sorry couldn't respond

to each one , they all were meaningful.